International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analyticsThursday, 02.09.2010, 22:51
Updating the Nordic-Baltic cooperation
30.08.2010Recent Nordic States’ foreign ministers meeting in Riga will be remembered in at least two main points. First, in the necessity to streamline the regional cooperation in order to form a “common front” towards outside world and secondly, in a drive to stimulate export-oriented industrial production. The latter is a noteworthy signal, in particular for the three Baltic States.
Additional opportunity for activating employment in the Baltics
03.08.2010Since the end of 2006, the EU has created an Adjustment Fund to assist declining industries in Europe. For about 3 years, the Commission distributed € 365 mln through 64 projects and assisted about 70 th. workers. Most certain, the Baltic States –not all of them, of course – are missing an opportunity to assist redundant workers; Lithuania has been most active. However, it is not too late: the EU makes available € 500 million per year for the EU-27. The revised rules are applied from the end of last year.
The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
13.07.2010From 1 July to 31 December 2010, it is Belgium's turn to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is a real challenge both for Belgium and, especially for other member states that would take over the leading positions in the EU. Important is, how this country will take into consideration many changes set in place by the Lisbon Treaty since it came into force last December.
Decisions at G-8 and G-20: lasting effect for Europe and the Baltic States
30.06.2010Two European leaders, Commission’s President and the President of the European Council have made their accounts of the recent G-8 and G-20 meetings in Canada. It is most certain that the decisions reached in Canada could have a lasting effect on European and the Baltic States economies and financial markets.
Facilitating Baltic States’ access to the EU Structural Funds
11.06.2010During next three years, the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) will get additional 179-mln euros as an increased advanced payment from the EU Structural Funds. The Council’s decision is aimed to assist the countries severely hit by the economic crisis.
New efforts for economic recovery in the European Union
24.05.2010During last two years, the EU made enormous efforts to confront the threat of spreading crisis. In the new European Commission’s approach, the line to reinforce economic governance was confirmed. European economic recovery is seen through strengthening of the decade’s old Stability and Growth Pact while extending EU’s surveillance to macro-economic imbalances in all the EU member states.
At times of despair a strong euro is wanted
12.05.2010Recent € 750 bln bailout for euro-zone countries’ economies has raised worries over the common currency’s future. This rescue package, while producing stability in economics, has shown that the euro’s status as a global reserve currency is volatile. And so are the Baltic States considerations over the revised –and much stronger- requirements for joining the euro-club.
